Carrot harvester



Aug. 15, 1950 E. G. BOOTH l 2,518,595

' CARROT HARVESTER y Filed July'zl, 1947 4 sheets-sheet 1 lNvENTOR l BY I 1 f 1 ATTORNEYS.

Aug. 15, 1950 cARRoT HARVESTER Filed July 21, 1947 E. G. BOOTH 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 alaolizv .n

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Aug, 15, 195o Filed July l2li., 1947 4 sheets-She@t 3 ATTORNEYS.

Aug 15, 1950 n i E. G. BOOTH 2,518,596

CARROT HAPNESTER Filed July 21', 1947 v v 4 sheets-sheet 4 INVENTOR HMV ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 15, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to agricultural machines,

and more particularly to machines designed primarily for harvesting carrots orrlike vegetables having tops.

An important object of the invention is to provide a machine of this character which may be moved along rows of carrots, the machine having means for gripping the carrot tops, pullrbeing so arranged that they will straddle the 'rows of carrots being harvested.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it Ybeing understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is a plan view of a carrot harvester, constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view thereof.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the machine taken on line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a fragmental sectional View through one of the vegetable-pulling discs and illustrating a pivoted cooperating arm for gripping the tops of the carrots being harvested.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the machine comprises a rectangular frame indicated generally by the reference character -5 to which the supporting axle 6 is connected, the axle 6 providing the mount for the wheels l. The reference character 8 indicates a horizontal shaft that is mounted in bearings 9 secured to the frame, as clearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawings.

Secured to the shaft 8, are discs lll that are of diameters to contact the ground surface, as the machine is being moved along a row, the discs being arranged in spaced parallel relation with each other to operate in vertical planes.

3 lClams. (ICI. 55-'-10\8) Secured to the outer surfaces of the discs adjacent to the outer edges thereof, are rings II that are formed with corrugated surfaces I2 that cooperate with the corrugated surfaces of the members I3 that are carried on the inner surfaces of the movable arms I4, near the ends thereof, in gripping the tops of the carrots being harvested.

These arms yI4 may be hingedly connected to the discs I0, however in the present showing, the

arms I4 are constructed of spring metal, so that they will move with respect to the discs. The reference character I5 indicates a pin carried by each of the arms I4, the pins moving through openings in the discs IIJ. Coiled springs I6 are mounted on the pins and disposed between the arms I4 and discs, normally urging the arms outwardly or away from the discs. Secured to each of the arms I4, is a yoke I1 in which the vertical rollers I8 are mounted.

Secured to the frame, as by means of the bolts I9 and 2D that extend inwardly from the side rails of the frame, are cam plates 2I, which cam plates have their forward edges extended laterally providing cams 22 which lie in the paths of travel of the rollers I8. These cam plates are so arranged that when the rollers I8 move thereover, the arms I4 will be moved inwardly into cooperative relation with the rings I'I to grip the tops of carrots which extend above the rows of carrots. It will, of course, be understood that the operation is so timed that the arms will fall opposite to the carrots as the machine is moving along the rows. As the rollers I8 move past the upper ends of the cam plates 2 I, the coiled springs I6 will act to move the arms laterally to release the carrots at this point.

Mounted directly at the rear of the discs I0, are rollers 23 which operate in parallel spaced relation with respect to each other, the ends of the rollers being journaled in bearings formed in the end bars of the frame 24 which is normally inclined downwardly towards the rear of the machine to cause the carrots which are deposited thereon, to gravitate 4to the lowerV ends of the rollers, where they are deposited on the endless conveyor 25 operating transversely of the machine at the rear thereof, as clearly shown by Figure 1 of the drawings.

Secured to the shaft 8, is a sprocket 26 over which the chain 21 operates, the chain 21 operating over the sprocket 28 secured to one end of the shaft 29 that extends transversely of the frame directly at the front ends of the rollers 23, the shaft 29 providing a support for the rotary cutting blades 30 that operate in such proximity 3 to the rollers, that the carrot tops will be cut from the carrots, as the tops are delivered onto the rollers.

On the shaft 29 is a pinion 3l that meshes with the pinion 32 secured on one end of the shaft 33, the shaft 33 having the pinion 3 that meshes with the pinion 35 secured on the shaft 3S. At the lower end of the shaft 3% is a pinion 3i that meshes with the pinion 33 secured on one end f the shaft over which the lower end ci the endless conveyor operates. Thus, it will be seen that due to this construction, the endless conveyor, will operate to convey the carrots which have been topped, by the rotary cutting blades 30, to a place of deposit where they may be sacked or otherwise packed for shipment.

In operation, the machine is placed at one end of a field in such a way that the discs it thereof will fall directly over rows of carrots lto be harvested. As the machine is moved along the row, the'arms are-moved inwardly into gripping `'relation with the discs, whereupon the tops ci the carrots will be gripped and carried upwardly `Where ,they will be moved through the machine directly under the rotary cutter 3@ where the .tops lwill b-e removed and the carrots deposited ,on the rollers .23 to move longitudinally thereof Vonto-the endless conveyor where they will be con- .veyedftoa place for shipment.

In Vview of the foregoing detailed disclosure, it is believed that a further description as to the :operation of the machine is unnecessary.

.What is claimed is:

`l. AA.carrot-harvesting machine comprising a wheel-Supported frame, a pair offdiscs operating in .parallel spaced relation with respect to each other, mounted on the vframe, said discs conftafcting with theground surface rotating the discs as the discs move over the-ground surface, radiatingarmsimounted on .the discs and cooperating 4vri-th the Vdiscs in gripping tops of carrots, pull ing thecarrots from the ground as the discs ro- A tateinclined rollers onto which harvested carrots `are deposited asithediscs rotate, a rotary cutter ,mounted ontheframe for cutting the tops from the carrots as the carrots .move from the discs to said rollers, and an endless conveyor onto which carrots from the rollers are delivered for packlng.

2. A carrot-harvesting machine comprising a wheel-supported frame, a pair of discs operating in vertical planes, mounted within the frame, arms pivotally mounted on the discs and cooperating with the discs in gripping carrot tops, means mounted on the frame and disposed in the'fpath ofr'avel cigsaiclarms'forv moving the arms into"gripping relation with the VVdiscs, inclined rollers onto which the carrots are delivered, a rotary member operating adjacent to rthe rollers for cutting the tops from the carrots,

and means disposed adjacent to the rotary cutitingmembersffor delivering the carrots to a place of deposit.

'3.' A carrctharvesting machine, comprising a wheel-:supported frarne, a pair of discs operating in vertical pianes mounted within the frame, 'd .discscontacting-with the lground surface o. ywhich-.the machine is moving, rotating the discs, gripping members on the arms gripping tops of carrots over which the machine is moving, rcmovingthe ,carrotsirom the groundsurface, a f-lurality of kkrollers...mountedon the frame and onto which carrotsare` deposited, a rotarycutting member `operatingon the` rameengaging the carrot tops cutting the Vcarrottops vfrom the carrots, ,and means for delivering the'carrots to a place of deposit.

EDWIN G. BGOT-I-I.

REFERENCES @man foliowingreferences are of 'record in the iilefof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sweden May 1, 1930 

